Lubricating system



Sept; 13, 1932. s. MaCPHERSQN 1,876,707

' LUBRICATING SYSTEM Filed A g. 20, 1928' 2 Sheets-Sheet l affopam s cates with each of the cylindersll by means Patented Sept. 13, 1932 UNITED STATES; PATENT oFFica EARLE S. MACIPI-IEBSON, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO HUP]? MOTOR CAR COR- PORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA i LUBRICATING SYSTEM 7 Application filed August 20, 1928. Serial No. 300,849.

This invention relates to lubricating systems and more partlcularly to pressure systems of this character for use in connectlon with internal combustion engines and the like.

It is one ofthe primary objects of this invention to provide a system of the above'type automatically operable to periodically distribute a quantity of lubricant upon the parts to be lubricated. V 1

Another object of this invention is to cheapen the cost of manufacture and facilitate assembly by simplifying'the construction of the several parts involved, and by reducing the number ofsuch parts to a minimum.

The invention provides for simplifying the method of manufacture and cheapening the cost of production as well as reducing the number of parts to a minimum,..by introduc- -i11g a lubricating system wherein the pressure pump actuating shaft and journal therefor, are utilized to accuratelyregulate and control the lubricant distributedto thelparts to be lubricated. r

The invention contemplates other objects and novel details of construction, allof'which will be made more apparent as this descrip-, tion proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of an internal combustion engine with my improved lubricating system applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view I through the pump shaft housing;

Figure 3 is asectional viewataken on the line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the engine. a V Y 7 Referring nowmore in detail to the drawings, it will be noted that there is illustrated fragmentarily, an internal combustion engine 10 having a plurality of cylinders 11 within which the pistons 12 reciprocate in the ",usual manner. Extending longitudinally of the engine adjacent the lower'ends thereof and preferably at the thrust side of the pistons, is a suitable lubricant receiving conduit 13. As shown, this conduit communiof'a series of passages 14- and receives lubricant from a suitable pressure pump'illustrated generally at 15. The latter is of the conventional type and is driven byxa rotatable shaft; 16 extending upwardly from the pump into the housing 17 secured to one side ofthe engine 10. Rotation is imparted to the shaft 16 by means of the gear 18 adapted to mesh with a gear 19 upon the accessory 4 shaft 20. The latter is driven by the'motor at cam shaft speed or in other words at a ratio of 1 to 2with the crank shaft. T he shaft-16 also functions to drive the usual distributor. (not shown). 7 V 1 r Referring more in detail tothe above construction the shaft 16 is preferably ournalled intermediate the ends thereof in a bush,- ing 21 secured within'a bore 22 in the housing. As' shown particularly in Figure 2-, the housing is formed with a passage 26 therein establishing communication between the pressure side of the pump and an annular groove 23 formed in the circumference ofthe bushing intermediate the ends thereof. The housing is further formed with a well'25 positioned diametrically opposite the discharge end of the passage 26 and communicating therewith through the groove 28. The groove I 23 communicates with the interior of the bushing by means of a pair of diametrically opposed passages 23 and 24 so arranged as to alternatively communicate with a groove 25' extending longitudinally of the rotatable shaft 16. The length of the groove 25 in the rotatable shaft 16 is sodetermined that when this latter groove is in registration with the port 24, the same also communicates wit-h a second port 24: in the bushing for conveying lubricant from the source of supply thereto. The port 24' in turn establishes communication between .a passage 27 a formed in the housing and a conduit 28 having the discharge end thereof suitably connected to the conduit 13 at any convenient point in its'length. The arrangement being such that a continuous supply of lubri cant under pressure of the pump flows through the passage 26 into the groove 23 formed in the bushing and from the groove conduits 28 and 13 tothe parts to be lubri-' cated, which in the present instance is the cylinder walls. v v

, Thus from the foregoing it will be apparent that the pump shaft 16 and bushing 21 therefor, cooperate to automatically and periodically distribute lubricant upon the cylinder walls. An arrangement of this character offers the possibility of eliminating such apparatus as an auxiliary pump for forcing the -lubricant to the parts to be lubricated. It

will further be noted from the foregoing con struction that the quantity of lubricant as well as the intervals at which the same is dis charged into the conduit 13 maybe varied by increasing the number of grooves 25 in the shaft 16. In other words, if it is desired to increase the quantity of lubricant discharged upon the cylinder walls, a plurality of grooves similar to the groove 25, may be formed in the shaft 16. This arrangement renders possible, displacing the lubricant from the pressure side of the system to the cylinder walls at a higher frequency.

As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the groove 25 may also be utilized to distribute lubricant upon the gears 18 and 19. This is accomplished in the present instance by forming a passage 29 in the sleeve adjacent the upper end thereof. This passage is adapted to establish communication between the groove 25 and a passage 30 formed in the housing 17. The passage 30 as shown in the above figure, is formed in such a manner as to discharge lubricant upon the gears 18 and 19. It will be apparent from the foregoing, thatwhen the groove registers with the pressure line 23, lubricant will flow upwardly through the groove 25 and into thepassages 29 and 30 to the gears 18 and 19. The quantity of lubricant dischcrged upon the gears depending entirely upon the number of,

grooves 25 formed in the shaft 16. In the event that lubricant escapes from the groove 23 between the bushing and bore 22in the housing, the same will'be collected by an annular groove 31 formed in the bushing and returned to the crank case through a suitable passage 32 formed in the housing.

Thus from the foregoing, it. will be apparent that I have provided a relatively simple system for periodically discharging lubricant from the pressure sideof the pump to the parts to be lubricated and furthermore, a system wherein the pressure pump actuating shaft and bushing therefor accurately controls and regulates communication between the pressure side of the system and the parts to be lubricated.

While in describing the present invention, particular stress has been placed upon the association of the system' with an internal combustion engine for distributing lubricant upon the cylinder walls thereof, it should be recognized that the system may be utilized to lubricate various other parts of the vehicle and as a consequence, reservation is made to make such changes in the details of construction of'the apparatus herein illustrated and described as may be found necessary and expedient and as may come within the purview of the accompanying claims.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. In a lubricating system for internal combustion enginesand the like, the combination I with a pressure pump for delivering lubricant under pressure, of a shaft driven by the engineand connected to said pump for actuating the same, a bushing for said shaft having circumferentially spaced passages therein, a conduit connected to the pressure side of said pump and communicating with one of the said passages, a second conduit extending from the other of said passages to the part to be lubricated, and means for transferring lubricant from said first mentioned conduit to said second conduit including a longitudinally extending groove in the pump operating shaft aforesaid.

2. In a lubricating system for internal combustion engines, the combination of a bushing having circumferentially spaced passages therein arranged in different planes, one of said passages communicating with a source of lubricant under pressure and another of said passages communicating with apart to be lubricated, and a rotatable shaft journaled in said'bushing having a groove therein operable to receive a predetermined quantity of lubricant from the first mentioned passage and transfer the same to said second mentioned passage.

3. In a lubricating system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a pressure pump for delivering lubricant under pressure, of abushing having circumferentially spaced passages therein arranged in different planes, one of the passages communicating with the pressure side of the pump and another of the passages communicating with the part to be lubricated, a drive shaft for the pump journaled in said bushing closing communication between said passages and having a longitudinally extending groove in the periphery thereof adapted to alternately register with the said passages, said groove operable to receive a quantity of lubricant from the first mentioned passage and trans fer the same to said second mentioned passage.

4. In a lubricating system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a V bushing having openings therein arranged in spaced relation to each other and in difierent planes, one of said passages communicating with a source of lubricant under pressure and another of said passages communicating with a part to be lubricated, a shaft movable in said bushing and closing communication between said openings, said shaft having a groove therein arranged toalternately register with the openings and operable to receive a quantity of lubricant from the first mentioned opening and to transfer the quantity of lubricant to the second mentioned open- 111g.

5. In a lubricating system for internal combustion engines, a bearing having axially and circumferentially spaced openings therein communicating with parts to be lubricated and having an annular groove therein intermediate the openings aforesaid communicating with a source of lubricant under pressure, and a rotatable shaft journaled within said bearing having an axially extending groove therein operable in one rotative position of the shaft to establish communication between the groove aforesaid in said bearing and one of the openings aforesaid to discharge lubricant upon a part to be lubricated, the groove in said shaft operable in another rotative position of the latter to establish communication between the annular groove in said bearing and the other of said openings for discharging lubricant upon another part to be lubricated.

6. In a lubricating system for internal combustion engines, a bearing having axially and circumferentially spaced openings therein communicating with parts to be lubricated and having an annular groove intermediate said openings communicating with a source of lubricant under pressure,

and means journaled within said bearing for periodically establishing communication between said annular groove and openings aforesaid for discharging lubricant under pressure to the parts to be lubricated.

7 In a lubricating system for internal combustion engines, a bearing having an opening therethrough communicating with a part to be lubricated and having an annular groove therein spaced axially from said opening communicating with a source of lubricant under pressure, and a shaft rotatably mounted within the bearing having an axially extending groove therein operable in one rotative position of the shaft to establish communication between said annular groove and opening for discharging lubricant into the latter under pressure.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

EARLE S. MAOPHERSON. 

